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Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select vs Penelope Rio
Comparing Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select and Penelope Rio reveals a matchup between a traditional, even-keeled Kentucky staple and a sourced, even-keeled blend.
Key Specifications
| Feature | Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select | Penelope Rio |
|---|---|---|
| Type / Style | Traditional Tennessee Whiskey | Four-Grain Bourbon |
| Mash Bill | 80% corn, 8% rye, 12% malted barley | 74% corn, 7% rye, 16% wheat, 3% malted barley |
| Age | No age statement | No age statement |
| Proof | 94 proof (47% ABV) | 98 proof (49% ABV) +4 proof |
| Approx. Price 1 | ~$45 – $55 ~$40 less | ~$80 – $100 |
- US shelf prices as of 2026-08; they vary widely by market.
AG’s Rating and AG’s Notes
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Penelope Rio
Not rated yetNo notes yet.
Flavor Profile
Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select Penelope Rio
Axis by axis, biggest gap first
sweetness 6/9 sweetness: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 6 out of 10, Penelope Rio 9 out of 10
oak 7/4 oak: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 7 out of 10, Penelope Rio 4 out of 10
fruit 4/6 fruit: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 4 out of 10, Penelope Rio 6 out of 10
spice 5/6 spice: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 5 out of 10, Penelope Rio 6 out of 10
nuttiness 4/3 nuttiness: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 4 out of 10, Penelope Rio 3 out of 10
heat 5/5 heat: Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select 5 out of 10, Penelope Rio 5 out of 10
Flavor Profile Differences
The clearest split is how sweet each one drinks.
- Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select: Barrels pulled from the top of the rickhouse, where the temperature swings are hardest, and it shows as considerably more oak than any standard Jack. A genuinely different proposition from the black label.
- Penelope Rio: Penelope's four-grain blend finished in honey barrels and then amburana wood. It tastes like a cinnamon roll: honey, gingerbread and sweet baking spice.
Which One Should You Choose?
- Go with Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select if you want a distinctly oakier, more concentrated Tennessee whiskey with barrel-to-barrel character at a significantly lower price point.
- Go with Penelope Rio if you want a honey-and-amburana-finished bourbon that tastes like a cinnamon roll.
Best enjoyed neat, rocks (Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select); neat, old-fashioned (Penelope Rio).